Ultimate Self Realization

Don't be a masochist, unnecessarily punishing yourself by not awakening your dormant Krishna consciousness. Why should you cheat yourself out of eternity, knowledge, and bliss, and punish yourself by remaining a prisoner here in the repetition of birth, death old age, and disease? It just does not make any sense. Throw off your chains of lust, greed, anger, madness, illusion, and envy and come to the liberated platform of pure love God. Once you get the higher taste of Krishna bhakti, you will never dream of going back to the poisonous realm of material sense gratification ever again. Devotees of Krishna Share Their Bliss With Everyone Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Is Envy of Krishna the Only Cause of Coming Here? Respected Guru Maharaja, My obeisances at your lotus feet. I would like to humbly ask you: Is envy of Krishna the only reason for coming down to the material world? Is it also that sometimes Krishna sends a person here to perform some special wor

Because the present day human society is not God-centered the social fabric is rapidly deteriorating into total chaos. The poet W.B. Yeats has described it in this way in his poem The Second Coming: Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world. Unfortunately the foolish so-called world leaders do not understand what is the underlying cause of this ever-increasing chaos. They are more concerned with keeping their positions than they are in hearing from bona fide spiritual masters what is the actual solution. Unless and until they agree to be educated by qualified brahmanas, the actual world leaders, in the science of how to perfect the human society the innocent people of this world are going to be more and more tortured, brutalized, and terrorized by rogues and demons who are factually speaking lower than animals. Qualified Brahmanas Who Can Lead the World Out of Chaos ISKCON's GBC's, Gurus, and Sannyasis Answers by Citing the Vedic Versio

Life in this material world is difficult for everyone. Neophyte devotees also sometimes have difficulties as they struggle to fix their minds in Krishna consciousness and become free from all material attachments. The secret of guaranteed success on the path of bhakti or Krishna consciousness is to always persevere in one's practice no matter what may happen. If the neophyte can maintain stick-to-itiveness in his practice in spite of all obstacles, his attaining the supreme perfection of pure love of God in due course of time is assured. Attaining Krishna's Association in Goloka Vrindavana Is the Supreme Perfection Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Can the Jiva Soul Fall Down Twice? Dear Guru Maharaja, Please accept my humble obeisances. After going Back to Godhead does the soul return back to material world? I have heard and read that we were part of Krishna's paraphernalia in the topmost abode Sri Goloka dhama and that due to our mistaken desire to enjo

We have the greatest auspicious news to share with you all today! Here in Austin, Texas USA on Monday 23 February 2015 we finalized the purchase of 1.27 acres of land for constructing a temple at 13800 Ida Ridge Drive in north Austin. We are eternally grateful to all of you who donated last year in our fund raising drive for getting this land. We were able to pay cash for it. So now ISKCON Austin owns it completely debt free. Although it was bitterly cold our hearts were warmly beaming with joy. We gathered whatever devotees we could muster to celebrate Krishna's new land with an ecstatic Hare Krishna kirtan. One neighborhood family driving by were so intrigued by seeing us singing and dancing in ecstasy even though it was so miserably cold that they stopped their car for a few minutes and rolled down their windows despite the frigidity so they could enjoy our ecstatic singing and dancing and see what the rapturous celebration was all about Now we have a wonderful exciting new pr

If you will make pleasing Krishna the number one priority in your life, your life will become unlimitedly joyful, sublime, fulfilling, and satisfying. Actually there is no question of making Krishna the number one priority because He already is the number one priority. It is simply a matter of waking up, realizing the fact, and doing the needful. Just as a fish must remain the water in order to survive, the living entity, being part and parcel of Krishna, must always remain in Krishna consciousness in order to survive and thrive. If he does not do so, he is committing suicide. There is No One More Important than Krishna Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Can I Join ISKCON If I'm Not Hindu? I find your teachings so interesting that I want to fully follow them. But the problem is that I am not a Hindu. Is it possible to join ISKCON even if I am not a Hindu? Emmanuel B. Answer: ISKCON is Universal. It's For Everyone. There's no problem with you joining our

Atheist means blind faith dogmatist, and there is not much more to be said in this connection. Anyone who clings tightly to the dogma that everything comes out of nothing is not using their common sense to see the reality, which is beautifully manifesting all around them at every minute. Everywhere around us millions and millions of times we see reconfirmation of the principle that things come from things. We never at any time see that something comes out nothing. Therefore any sane person can easily deduce the conclusion that there must exist an original thing, a source from which everything has come. Therefore theism is logical, atheism is illogical, and any system of knowledge which is based on atheism is nonscientific and flawed. The so-called scientists who propose an atheistic view of the universe are, according to the dictionary, known as nonscientists. Krishna--The Source of Everything Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Does Existence Cease When You Enter the A

Krishna's pure devotee is the topmost well-wisher of all living beings. He sees everyone, even the plants, animals, insects, birds, and fish as the eternal servants of Krishna. Therefore his only desire is to awaken the dormant Krishna consciousness within the hearts of all living beings. Such a devotee who fully understands and resonates with the innermost desire of Lord Krishna is naturally most dear to Krishna. If by the grace of Lord Krishna we are able to come into contact with such a fully liberated pure devotee, we should take shelter of him, accepting him as our spiritual master, because by his causeless mercy and expert guidance we can quickly and easily become liberated from this material existence and regain our original identities in the most splendorous transcendental kingdom of God. Srila Prabhupada--Topmost Well-Wisher of All Living Beings Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Why Buddhists Do Not Attain Krishna? The heart of a fully perfected Buddhist

The disciple never thinks that he can surpass his spiritual master in any way, even though externally it may appear that he has done so. For example, Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, the spiritual master of Srila Prabhupada, was able to spread the Krishna consciousness only within India, while Srila Prabhupada was able to spread it all over the world. Srila Prabhupada never thought for a moment that he had surpassed his spiritual master. He always knew that whatever he was doing was actually all being done by the mercy of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati and that he was only an instrument in the hands of his spiritual master. In this mood the disciple always gives all credit for whatever he has accomplished to his spiritual master and he prays to his spiritual master, "Gurudeva, your mercy is all that I am made of." Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Can We Pray For Others to Advance Spiritually? Gurudeva, your answers

The secret of success on the path of spiritual awakening is to serve the mission of your spiritual master, totally embracing it as your very life and soul. By fully absorbing your life and consciousness in this way assisting him in his world deliverance mission you will attract the unlimited mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and thus you will always live in a state of transcendental bliss regardless of success or failure, victory or defeat. So don't cheat yourself out of this unlimited nectar. Take shelter of the bona fide spiritual master by initiation and dedicate your life fully to assist him in his mercy mission for the deliverance of all the suffering souls in the universe. Srila Prabhupada Walks With His Disciples Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: May We Visualize Krishna to Help Our Chanting? May we visualize a picture of Krishna or Caitanya while doing japa instead of just repeating the mahamantra with closed eyes? Otherwise, we can loose concentration.

Regarding our spiritual progress the most important thing we possess is our attitude. In other words on the path of spiritual progress our attitude will either make us or break us. One who has trained his mind to see everything as the mercy of Krishna has perfected his attitude and will always be flying at a high altitude on the spiritual plane. On the other hand one who judges the merit or demerit of things based what is pleasing to his senses will remain stuck on the low material plane rotating in the cycle of birth and death for countless lifetimes. Blissful Hare Krishnas Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: How to Know When I'm Chanting With Pure Love? Hare Krishna, my dear Gurudeva. Please accept my humble obeisances All glories to Srila Prabhupada By yours and Krishna's mercy, I have been able to stick to chanting 16 rounds or more of the Hare Krishna mahamantra daily. How do I know when I'm chanting with pure love for Krishna and when it is conside

The sastras or scriptures tell us of a time in the future when the entire world will be Krishna conscious. This prediction is not for some date way way off in the future such as 427,000 years from now when the Satya yuga begins. Although the Satya Yuga will certainly be a Garden-of-Eden type age when everyone will be saintly, we do not have to wait that long to get relief from all of this global distress. The sastric prediction I am referring to is that even now during the grossly materialistic age of Kali there will a wonderful global resurgence of pure spirituality. This profound spiritual renaissance began 500 years with the advent of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and will continue expanding and expanding undauntedly until the entire globe is 100% united being fully immersed in pure love of God. This global spiritual rebirth will last for 10,000 years, of which 500 have already passed. At the present this renaissance is still in a seed like state in the form of the Krishna consciousness

Nowadays we hear about so many different types of liberation movements: women's liberation, lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender liberation, black liberation, etc. They are all seeking equal rights for persons of those various designations, but they are going about it in the wrong way. On the material platform there can never be pure equality because on that plane by nature's way there will always be dissimilarities. Real equality, true equality only exists on the spiritual platform. Therefore to achieve genuine equality we must elevate our consciousness to the spiritual plane. Any liberation movement which is based on and thus promotes a bodily conception of the self is not a liberation movement at all. It is a bondage movement. Real liberation means to become free from the bodily conception of the self by reviving the consciousness of the real self within. This revival of consciousness is achieved by reconnecting the individual self with the Supreme Self, who is the source of al

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati said that when the high-court judges wear tilaka our Krishna consciousness movement will be successful. Because the Vaisnavas are full of compassion their hearts bleed to see so much suffering going ever-increasingly throughout the world. Therefore they pray that the day will come as soon as possible when all the high court judges in every nation throughout the entire world are wearing Vaisnava tilaka. The pure devotees are prepared to take birth after birth if Krishna so desires to bring that day as soon as possible when the entire world becomes Krishna conscious. How much we are indebted to such spotlessly pure devotees by whose mercy we have been saved from this material existence? We must fully absorb our lives in selflessly serving these pure devotees. Srila Prabhupada Applies Tilaka Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Why Eat Plants? They Have Life Too. Guru Maharaja, many people when I tell them not to eat animals they question,

The first devotee who preached to me when I was a young spiritual seeker in Berkeley, California, USA in 1969 was Bhakti Madhurya Govinda Maharaja, who was known at that time as Makhanlal Das Brahmacari. Because he took the time to tell me about Krishna I am very much indebted to him. Recently on the occasion of my Vyas Puja celebration at ISKCON Delhi, India he came and spoke some words encouraging my disciples how to properly understand their spiritual master. His wonderful lecture is available through this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO9qGz4nQiU My thanks to him for so nicely guiding my disciples. Bhakti Madhurya Govinda Maharaja Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Is there Pain in the Spiritual World? Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Since this material world is a reflection of the spiritual world, does pain exist in the spiritual world? Your servant, Gaura Lila devi dasi Answer: There It's the Highest Form o

The devotee of Lord Krishna is fully dedicated to serving Krishna's mission of delivering the fallen, conditioned souls of this world back to home, back to Godhead. He does not mind taking birth after birth in this material world for this purpose if this is what Krishna wants him to do. This completely sold out servant of Krishna has no self-interest separate from the interest of the Lord. And he uses his individuality to devise the ways and means that he can assist his spiritual master in Krishnizing the entire universe. Srila Prabhupada is Totally Dedicated to Saving the World Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: How to Deal With Upset People? You mentioned that a pure devotee becomes dear to everyone. However there are people who may not appreciate your views even though you are a great spiritual leader. I'm just a neophyte devotee, and I notice that sometimes people get upset if I follow Krishna consciousness strictly by not showing interest in sense gratif

The duty of the disciple is to hear and inquire submissively from his spiritual master and to always please his spiritual master by being fully obedient to his orders. In this way he will be empowered to be a first class representative of his spiritual master properly conveying his guru's teachings and mood of compassion to the ignorant suffering souls of this world, who are so desperately in need of spiritual enlightenment. Although in the beginning one may not be able to do this very well, if he humbly submits himself to be trained by his spiritual master and those who represent his spiritual master, in due course of time he will become a first class representative of his spiritual master who can properly and nicely assist him in his world deliverance mission. Srila Prabhupada Trains His Disciples Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Can Animals Love? Hello, I was happy to attend your lecture at University of Cincinnati last night (7 February 2015), and I enjoyed

I fondly remember many years ago back in 1972 when, under the expert guidance of His Holiness Vishnujana Swami, ISKCON had a traveling rock opera, which told the story of how a hippy named Ringer became a devotee of Krishna. I had the good fortune to be a part this preaching program, which was known as the Road Show. On 8 September 1972 at a big pubic auditorium known as the Syria Mosque in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, USA we performed our rock opera in front of an audience of thousands. Our special guest of honor at the concert was our most beloved spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who was pleased by our preaching attempt. After the program he commented, "This is Lord Caitanya's special mercy, this show." Part of our opera was a wonderful song called "Jagat Guru". One of lines of the song was, "The pure devotee comes and then the evil has to end. Jagat guru, spiritual master of the universe. Jagat guru, Prabhupada" T

Just as it is of the utmost importance for you to find a bona fide guru, i.e. a spiritual master who is fully qualified to deliver you back to home, back to Godhead, it is also of the utmost importance that once you find him you must surrender yourself unto by always obeying him faithfully. That is to say you have to be a bona fide disciple. Otherwise what is the use of being a superficial so-called disciple? Pseudo disciples are not very much benefited by their show of devotional service. Anyone who wants the full benefit of escaping the cycle of birth and death has to become a bona fide disciple, otherwise they remain rotting in the cycle of birth and death. Srila Prabhupada Mercifully Initiates a Disciple Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Will Everyone Eventually Go Back to Godhead? Will every soul who has fallen into material existence eventually go back to Godhead? Shubham Ghanghas Answer: Yes, But Don't Take It For Granted. You Must Endeavor. Srila Prabh

At the present moment the entire human civilization is completely covered by maya or illusion. Enwrapped in bodily consciousness, i.e. considering their bodies to be their actual selves, everyone is totally absorbed in material sense gratification, which is nothing more than a pathway leading to death. This is an appalling tragedy, a horrendous calamity. When we try to save them with transcendental knowledge they vehemently argue with us due to their stubborn attachment to material senses gratification, the only pleasure they know. Thus their only hope is if someone or other we can give them at least a sample of the higher taste of Krishna consciousness so that they will realize their foolishness and take advantage of this sublime process or reawakening their original all blissful, all knowing, and all loving state of Krishna consciousness. Just Once Relish the Sweet Flavor of Krishna Consciousness Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: How to Use Envy in Krishna's Se

On Saturday 7 February when I was lecturing on the science of self-realization at the University of Cincinnati a member of the audience challenged me that I was being dogmatic when in my lecture I rejected as blind faith dogma the proclamation made by a famous scientist that everything comes out of absolutely nothing. Even though there is not even one slight shred of scientific empirical evidence to be found anywhere to support this theory, I was expected by my challenger to blindly it simply because it was stated by a famous scientist. So who is really being dogmatic? We should never accept things dogmatically on the basis of blind faith. Rather we should use intelligence and reason before we draw conclusions. We human beings have been endowed by God with advanced intelligence to understand what is the Absolute Truth. So use it or lose it. We must properly utilize our advanced-more-than-the-animals intelligence. But unfortunately our modern day educational system has trained us to be

There is no sense looking here or looking there, going here or going there to try to find pleasure in this material world for there is none. It simply does not exist here. Only the illusion of pleasure exists in this condemned world. So if you want real pleasure and satisfaction you have no option except to turn to Krishna, who is the reservoir of unlimited pleasure and satisfaction. How to connect with Krishna is not difficult. In this age of Kali Krishna is most accessible in the form of His holy names. Therefore if you will chant the Hare Krishna mantra with focus and devotion, you will experience genuine spiritual happiness beyond all the suffering of material existence. You will finally understand and realize the real purpose of your existence. Ecstatic Hare Krishna Kirtan on River Yamuna Bank Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: How to Be Krishna Conscious in a Hectic Lifestyle? It is extremely difficult for anyone who is having a lifestyle with hectic schedules t

6 February 2015--Today we are flying out to Cincinnati, Ohio where I will be lecturing on Krishna consciousness at the University of Cincinnati. The seminar is entitled "Turning On the Self Within." I am praying to Krishna that He will kindly empower my words so that many people will become attracted to Him because outside of being attracted to Krishna all else is a hopeless illusion. Just as the parts of a machine have meaning only when are assembled together and functioning nicely, in a similar way unless we are connected with Krishna our lives are simply an empty useless graveyard. So I am praying that many souls at the University of Cincinnati can become attracted to Krishna. Turning On the Self Within Lecture in Cincinnati, Ohio Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: How to Use Genitals for Krishna We are supposed to engage our senses in the service of Lord Krishna. Does this apply for the genitals as well? How can one engage this particular sense? S.B.

At the present moment the entire world population is deluded by an external conception of the self, considering themselves to be their bodies. Nothing could be further from the truth. The real fact is that this body, like a garment, is simply a covering of the actual self that resides within. Therefore if people want genuine lasting happiness, which is never deterred or diminished by any situation no matter how seemingly unfortunate, they simply have to revive their original identity or consciousness, that they are eternal spiritual beings qualitatively one with the Supreme Person, the source of all existence. This requires not only theoretical understanding but also practical realization by engaging oneself fully in the loving devotional service of the Supreme Transcendence, Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Chanting Hare Krishna to Realize the Self Within Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Is Mixed Devotion Not Relishable? Is it due to devotion t

When the disciple promises the spiritual master at the time of initiation that he will chant on his japa beads at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mahamantra daily trying to avoid all offenses and that he will also avoid illicit sex, meat eating, intoxication, and gambling, he must keep his word. By faithfully keeping his word his deliverance back to home, back to Godhead is assured. And by not keeping his word, his remaining a prisoner within the cycle of repeated birth and death is also assured. So the disciple has a choice of either being an honest person who keeps his word or cheater who does not keep his word. Either way he will reap the result of his actions. Srila Prabhupada Initiates a Disciple Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: What is Surrender? I have a question, I want to understand: What is surrender? Does it mean to accept renunciation? How one can fully surrender unto the lotus feet of Sri Guru and Gauranga. Your insignificant servant, Ankit Answ

We live in a crazy world in which we are all trained to be the slaves of our senses. What do we get in reward for a whole lifetime of dedicated service to these rascal senses? We simply get old age, disease, and death. Therefore those who are actually intelligent shun a life of blind servitude to the senses. They instead engage their senses in the service of the master of the senses, Lord Sri Krishna, and thus attain a spiritual body, which is eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss. So what kind of body do you prefer? Do you want an eternal, all blissful, all cognizant body? Or do you desire one temporary, miserable, ignorant body after another such body lifetime after lifetime for all of eternity? The choice is yours. So now you can either serve your senses or engage them in the service of Sri Krishna, the Lord of the senses. Make your choice and reap the result. Devotees Distribute Krishna Prasadam, Sanctified Food Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: How to

We all have four defects: 1.We have imperfect senses. 2.We have the tendency to be illusioned. 3.We are prone to make mistakes. and, 4.We cheat. In other words, because our senses are imperfect we have a tendency to be illusioned and in spite of our thus making so many mistakes we think, speak, and act like we know everything. This is called cheating. So we should stop this cheating business. It's far better to be an honest fool than an artificial Mr. Know-It-All. We should hear from and follow Lord Sri Krishna and His pure representative, the bona fide spiritual master. In this way we will become free from the four defects of material existence and become fully qualified to go back to home, back to Godhead. Srila Prabhupada Teaches the Perfect Teachings of Krishna Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Going Back to Godhead Depends on Piety? Guru Maharaja, I really want to go back to Godhead in this one life. But is it that we should have accumulated enough s

"May the entire world now become Krishna conscious." This is our constant prayer because there is absolutely no other solution for the ever-increasingly nightmarish world situation. The politicians give so many promises and proposals how the rectify the problems of the world. But their promises are false. This is merely their hype to keep themselves in power. They do not have even the slightest clue of how to solve the world's problems. Since they are not harmonized with the Supreme, it is not possible for them to harmonize the world with the Supreme. We are ever grateful to the great spiritual authority, the most powerful Vaisnava acharya, Prahlada Maharaja, for teaching us in the following verse how to pray for the deliverance of the world from delusion: svasty astu viśvasya khalaḥ prasīdatāṁ dhyāyantu bhūtāni śivaṁ mitho dhiyā manaś ca bhadraṁ bhajatād adhokṣaje āveśyatāṁ no matir apy ahaitukī "May there be good fortune throughout the universe, and may all en

The spiritual master who initiates us is called our diksha guru or our initiating guru. According to the great Vaisnava acharya, ISKCON Founder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, just as we have only one father, we have only one guru, the spiritual master who initiates us. Others who teach us purely what our initiating guru has taught can also be considered spiritual masters. This is called the siksha guru or the instructing spiritual master. The instructing guru assists the spiritual master in delivering the disciple back to home, back to Godhead. If someone teaches differently from what our spiritual master has taught us, he cannot be accepted as an instructing guru. At the time of our initiation our spiritual master absorbs the karma from our previous sinful activities to facilitate our becoming purely absorbed in Krishna consciousness. In this way he gives us a karmic clean slate so that we can practice Krishna consciousness without being impeded by ou